Professional identity construction: meanings of work for psychologists

Abstract

Apart from the legal prerogative, the study of graduates’ profiles brings elements that enable understanding of the processes in identity construction of a given professional category. The objective of this research was to comprehend in which manner is the relationship between the construction of identity and the attributed tenor of the psychology profession. Ten graduates from a public federal university were interviewed and the results were submitted for analysis. The emerging thematic categories psy identity construction, and bond with the role of Psychologist, present evidence that the relationship between catalysts is mediated by the following trio of factors: university trajectory, professional practice and identity references. The results permit us to ratify the interdependence of elements, indicating a necessity to strengthen the training and formation and agendas designated to explore the meaning and significance of work.